The Alluring Folly of Lust

Preacher: Joel Fair
Scripture: Proverbs 6:20–35

1. Walk in the Instruction of the Father - Vs 20 - 24
2. What is Lust? - Vs 25-35
   1. Why do we have sexual desire?
   2. Lust Versus Love
3. What is Joy? - Jesus Loves

Psalm 16:11 - You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

John Piper on why God gave us sexual desires
God created human beings in his image — male and female he created them, with capacities for intense sexual pleasure, and with a calling to commitment in marriage and continence in singleness. And his goal in creating human beings with personhood and passion was to make sure that there would be sexual language and sexual images that would point to the promises and the pleasures of God’s relationship to his people and our relationship to him. In other words, the ultimate reason (not the only one) why we are sexual is to make God more deeply knowable. The language and imagery of sexuality is the most graphic and most powerful that the Bible uses to describe the relationship between God and his people — both positively (when we are faithful) and negatively (when we are not).

James 1:14-15
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

William Arnot, Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth: Illustrations of the Book of Proverbs
The difference between an unconverted man and a converted man is not that one has sins and the other has none; but that the one takes part with his cherished sins against a dreaded God, and the other takes part with a reconciled God against his hated sins.

Ray Ortland
If only evil were always ugly, life would be simpler. If only everything were color-coded to make it obvious, if only there were warning labels on all the poisons. But in this world disaster can be attractive. ‘Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light’ (2 Corinthians 11:14). He is magnificent. But does the magnificent devil know how to build a relationship? He seems so successful, but does he know how to live? The truth is, he is a fool, and he wants to make us his fools as we step on his well-concealed land mines.

Tim Keller
When over the years someone has seen you at your worst, and knows you with all your strengths and flaws, yet commits him- or herself to you wholly, it is a consummate experience. To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.

Ephesians 3:14-19
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.